Learn To Cook Halloumi Saganaki Mezze

Summer has started. The air  where you live may be cool in the morning, warm or extremely hot (like in Texas). This is the time of year where you may feel like eating something that is  a little  sweet, crunchy,  fried and light in texture. One of my favorite salads or appetizers/ mezze  is a dish that has inspired me from the cookbook author Yasmin Khan, The Ripe Fig. The dish is Halloumi saganaki. Saganaki is a Greek cuisine that simply means an appetizer, fried cheese or flambeed prepared  in a  frying pan.

This dish can be made with any delicate salad mix like a spring mix, arugula or a mixture of bibb, radicchio and spinach base with fried semolina dipped Halloumi and sweet and tart pomegranate seeds. If you have  not tried Halloumi it must be on the list to do this summer. Halloumi is typically made out of sheep and goat’s milk but can be made out of cow's milk too. It is a cheese that has a high melting point so it can be fried or grilled without losing its texture. Halloumi’s origin is from Egypt but oftentimes it is associated with the island of Cyprus.

I hope you try this recipe. If you do please take a picture and send it to me!
Halloumi Saganaki inspired by “Ripe Fig” by Yashmin Khan.

Serves 2 as a dish  or  4 as a mezze
1 package of Halloumi cheese, sliced ½ inch thick
3 cup salad mix, your choice of spring mix, arugula, bibbed lettuce or spinach
1 egg
½ cup semolina 
2 Tablespoons. grapeseed oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan
3 Tablespoons.  Honey
1 teaspoon. chopped fresh thyme 
5 fresh figs, sliced in quarters
Pomegranate seeds
¼ cup toasted chopped walnuts, cashews or pistachios

Instructions:

1. Cut the Halloumi into thick slices, 7-9 slices.
2. Gently and dry  the lettuce leaves.
3. Add semolina on to a plate.
4. Beat the egg in a small bowl and set aside.
5. Dip the Halloumi  into the beaten egg, then coat the Halloumi in the semolina and set on a plate.
6. On medium heat, add grapeseed oil to  a medium size pan. 
7. Set a plate with a paper towel aside.
8. Once the pan and oil is hot, fry the Halloumi on both sides until golden brown.
9. Place on the plate with the paper towel to absorb excess oil. 
10. On medium heat, add honey and time to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer to infuse the thyme into the honey. Allow the honey to cool to the touch.
11. Assemble on a large serving platter. Place the lettuce mixture first, add Halloumi, arrange the figs on top, drizzle with honey thyme mixture and garnish with the pomegranate seeds and toasted nuts. 
12. Enjoy!